FROM RELAY RACES TO REFLECTION. Embracing the Final Stretch of the School Year

Years ago – actually, I should probably admit it was decades ago – I ran relay races on the track team. Our coach would arrange us by the industry standard. The fastest runner ran the anchor. The next fastest runner was first in the relay, and the next fastest after that ran the second leg. The slowest runner on the team ran third in the race. To be fair, they were all fast, but they were ranked by how quickly they moved.

 Since returning to school as a teacher, I have always felt like the school year moves in a similar way. The first quarter goes pretty rapidly, landing in mid-October among the novelty of school year firsts and the whirlwind of settling in. The anticipation of football season, homecoming, and other fall fun make it fly by. Then it’s a slightly slower crawl through the second quarter to January, though it still moves along at a good clip with all of the breaks for holidays. 

The January to mid-March 3rd leg is the toughest one to get through. We start to realize we are more than halfway done with the year, but we all know that we are a long way from summer. We are stuck in the waiting place between optimism and boredom, excitement and burnout. I may have a pep in my step one day and the very next have to resist the urge to lay my head on my desk during the passing periods. The students are tired as well, growing weary of rising in the dark winter mornings and wishing they did not have to go out in the bitter cold.

As I turned the calendar to March today, I realized that we’ll soon be in that transitional time between the lull of the third quarter and the whirlwind of the fourth. Where I live, the seasons reflect the mood. We suffer from cold and darkness in that third quarter stretch. Then spring starts to peak at us right when we enter the last quarter of the year. The air quite literally smells alive, like freshly tilled soil and spring rain. The windows open, people perk up, and the end of another school year is visible on the horizon. 

While there’s some excitement in reaching summer break, there’s also a deep panic in the mind of the conscientious teacher. Did I do enough? Was I good enough? Did the students get what they needed from me? Did they think I was fair? Good? Approachable? Did this class instill confidence and good work ethic in them, or did they think it was a waste of their time? 

In my 20 years of education, I have always had an intentional time of reflection at the end of the school year. I think, take notes, talk to colleagues, and look at student data. What worked? What didn’t? What will I do differently next year? Sometimes, I have been brave enough to even give my students a survey and use that data. Other years, I had enough critique of myself that I didn’t feel the need to extend the invitation for more of it. 

This reflection time has always not only been practical but also emotional, just like the job of an educator. I’ve noticed that in my post-COVID teaching years, this time of reflection has brought on some regret and feelings of inadequacy. I have noticed myself feeling downright depressed. At times I have felt like the students had more needs than I could meet, like I was too exhausted all of the time, and like there were certainly needs I didn’t notice or couldn’t meet. 

Sitting here on March 1, I realize that I am in fact dreading the early summer days as the muscle memory braces for me to feel inadequate and discouraged. I have realized it will take some careful planning to work my way out of the post-COVID teaching slump emotionally. So instead of bracing myself to feel discouraged, I am resolving to finish the year well and focus on gratitude. I’d like to share my list of year-end resolutions. Maybe some of them will benefit you as well, or maybe you’ll write your own list that suits you even better. 

1.      If you believe that teaching is the coolest job, and you wouldn’t want to do anything else in the world, repeat it to yourself often. Words matter. If you believe you are called to teaching and you are making a difference, repeat that to yourself as well. Pray that it echoes in your memory on the days when it’s more difficult to believe it. Jeremiah 29:11

2.      Make a designated folder for notes of encouragement. Tuck away thank you notes from students, printed copies of kind emails, even notes you’ve made about cool things that happened or connections made with students and families. Take this home over the summer and reach for it when the feelings of inadequacy creep in. Romans 15:13

3.      Focus on being approachable, not perfect. We can drive ourselves crazy trying to never mess up, or we can do our best while also remaining positive, kind, calm, and approachable. Students can handle us not being awesome every day, but they absolutely need us to be real humans who are willing to listen without judgment and help them when they are in need. Colossians 3:12

4.      Make that summer to-do list (for school tasks) now and move some of it to the fourth quarter. I realize how crazy that sounds when we are already busy. However, I also know that I can work so much more quickly and efficiently at school. I’m also going to be more effective when the information is fresh in my mind. With some careful planning and discipline, I can offload some usual summer tasks to the school year. Bonus: It’s much easier to collaborate with colleagues and get responses from offices during the school year. Proverbs 16:3

My prayer for you all is to have a wonderful “last leg” of the school year, and to continue to bless your students and coworkers as they bless you, too! 

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. Galatians 6:9-10

Hannah-Funk Fishburn is a member of the Victorious Educator Facebook Group. She teaches High School Spanish and lives in Illinois with her husband and three children.

Write Blog for VEM: https://www.victoriouseducator.com/connect

Questions? info@victoriouseducator.com

Connect with Victorious Educator Ministries: https://www.victoriouseducator.com/connect